November 13: Godzilla Minus Zero took ¥910 million, about $5.75 million, on its first day in Japanese cinemas, the biggest opening day ever recorded in Japan for a live-action film, the studio Toho has announced. More than 590,000 tickets were sold. The film is the sequel to Godzilla Minus One, which won the Oscar for visual effects, and it has since opened across Southeast Asia and North America.
Key highlights
- Opening day in Japan: ¥910 million (approx. $5,752,848, Toho’s conversion).
- Tickets sold: more than 590,000 admissions.
- The record: highest opening-day box office in Japan for a live-action feature, counting Japanese and foreign films together.
- Against the last film: Toho calls the result a “201% increase” on the opening day of Godzilla Minus One.
- Team: director Takashi Yamazaki returns, with Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe in the lead roles.
- Format: the first Japanese production “Filmed For IMAX”, according to its North American distributor GKIDS.
What Toho announced
Toho published the figures on its official Godzilla website on November 4, a day after the film opened in Japan on November 3, the date fans mark as Godzilla Day. The studio said the film “broke the record” for the highest opening day in Japan for a live-action feature, and that the comparison covers both domestic and foreign titles.
Toho did not publish the earlier opening-day figure for Godzilla Minus One, so the size of the jump cannot be checked independently. At the time of writing, no official opening-weekend total had been posted on the site.
The film: Japan, 1949
The story is set in 1949, two years after the events of Godzilla Minus One. It follows the Shikishima family, who face a new threat after what the distributor calls a hard-won peace. Yamazaki, who directed the first film, is again in charge.
The film had its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on September 26, screened at the BFI London Film Festival on October 14 and was the Centerpiece Film of the Tokyo International Film Festival on November 1.
Where it is playing in Asia
| Market | Release date |
|---|---|
| Japan | November 3, 2026 |
| Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines | November 4, 2026 |
| Singapore, Malaysia | November 5, 2026 |
| Taiwan, Vietnam | November 6, 2026 |
| United States, Canada | November 6, 2026 |
India, China, South Korea and Hong Kong do not appear on Toho’s published list of release dates.
Our calculation
| Measure | Figure | How we got it |
|---|---|---|
| Average ticket price on day one | about ¥1,540 | ¥910 million ÷ 590,000 admissions |
| Exchange rate Toho used | about ¥158 to the dollar | ¥910 million ÷ $5,752,848 |
Because Toho says admissions were “in excess of” 590,000, the true average ticket price is slightly lower than ¥1,540. Toho has not given a breakdown by format.
What it means for India and Asia
A Japanese-language monster film has set a record at home and opened in seven other Asian markets within three days of its Japan debut. It shows how a local-language film can now be released almost at the same time across the region and in North America, instead of months apart.
For Indian viewers there is no news yet. No India date appears on Toho’s official list, so fans in India will be watching for an announcement.
What to watch
- Toho’s official opening-weekend and running totals for Japan.
- Any release date for India, China, South Korea or Hong Kong.
- The Academy’s shortlists on December 15, which include visual effects, the category the first film won.
Director Takashi Yamazaki and actor Ryunosuke Kamiki at the New York Film Festival, where Godzilla Minus Zero had its world premiere in September 2026. Image: Dodoeggs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · Licence
Sources
- Toho (official Godzilla website): Godzilla Minus Zero scores the #1 all-time opening day for a live-action film in Japan
- Toho (official Godzilla website): Godzilla Minus Zero global release dates
- GKIDS: New trailer released for Godzilla Minus Zero, now playing in theatres
- Academy: 99th Oscars and Academy key dates
The Entertainment Desk covers cinema from India, Asia and Hollywood: releases, box office, awards and festivals, reported from official announcements. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
